The Mortician's Daughter
by Twisted Arrogance
Summary: Leah is consumed with self-loathing until she finally meets her imprintee, a vampire. But it appears that he's already found a mate and she's broken-hearted once more. Will she ever get her happy ever after? Songfic. Leah x OC. HIATUS.
1. Chapter One

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anyone from the Twilight series. However, Ishmael and Giselle are of my own creation. Please ask before using them, thank you.

This story came up while I was listening to **The Mortician's Daughter** by **Black Veil Brides**. It's an amazing song, you should check it out. Oh, please review! Thank you.

The Mortician's Daughter

Chapter One

* * *

It was dark that night as Leah Clearwater ran through the trees and thick brush of the forest, her breathing was ragged and her limbs ached painfully. But none of the pain she felt could keep her from running, it only served to cause her to push herself faster through the dense foliage. The only sound other then the forest was that of her ragged breathing and the sound of her paws hitting the ground. Many times Jacob and Seth had tried to ask her to return to them, to tell her that she was straying much to far from them. But Leah neither cared nor wanted to return; the burning pain she felt was unbearable.

It seemed that everything had crashed down on her at once, all the feelings she had held in had thrown a debilitating blow to her. She couldn't take being near any of them anymore, especially the bloodsuckers that were all so happy and serene. It was torment being near any of them when they were all so happy and she was so miserable. When she had left Sam's pack to join Jacob's, she had thought that things would change for the better. Granted, she hadn't been pleased but she had to do what she felt was right for her. She had thought that she would be able to finally be at peace with Sam's decision, finally be able to move on. But she had been wrong, so very wrong.

Thinking back on it, she probably would've been happier if she had stayed with Sam's pack. At least there she wouldn't have been assaulted with so much love and joy that she couldn't partake in. The only price to pay was to see Sam everyday and relive the pain he had caused her over and over again. Maybe one day she'd be able to overcome that and being near him wouldn't have been such a task.

But she had joined Jacob along with her brother, Seth, in hopes of never having to feel that merciless pain again. For a while, she and Jacob had understood one another because of the similar situation they had been in. For an instant, she could feel herself falling for the younger male and that hadn't been as uncomfortable as she had thought. But then Jacob had imprinted on Renesmee and all those thoughts quickly vanished without any difficulty.

For a while, she was fine with hearing his thoughts about little Nessie, it was something she could stomach. Then Seth imprinted on a pretty Hispanic girl he had met at the La Push beach one day. Suddenly, her head was filled with both Jacob and Seth's thoughts on the girls that occupied their minds. The more time she spent with the two, the sicker she became. With them came the vampires and she suddenly felt like she was suffocating. The vampires all had mates and all seemed so in love, along with her brother and her leader. She felt so out of place.

For months, she tried to deal with it and forget about the emptiness and loneliness that she felt most of the time. Usually, she could but it became harder and harder to ignore as the feelings around seemed to increase. It didn't help that Edward and her brother threw sympathetic looks whenever she was near or that Jacob tried to comfort her. They just all made her feel so out of the loop.

So, what did she do? She ran away. She had made up her mind in her human form at a safe distance so that her thoughts couldn't be read by her comrades. Once she was far enough away that Jacob or Seth couldn't catch her, she phased and fled and had been running ever since. Suddenly, her legs gave out from underneath her and she toppled to the ground with a heaving chest. Without much conscious effort, she phased back to her human form and struggled to her feet. Slowly, she trekked to the small lake that was nearby and lowered her naked form into the water. Leaning her head against a rock, she let her eyes slip closed and slipped a little deeper into the water so that it came up to her ears.

Without warning, the tears she had been holding in slipped down her cheeks and she let out a heart wrenching sob that caused birds in the nearby vicinity to scatter. Her whole body trembled as she cried and let out open-mouthed sobs, her hands covering her eyes. Her trembling caused ripples throughout the surface of the water.

It seemed like forever for she finally calmed herself to the point of stuttering gasps, her shoulders only slightly heaving with her. Shakily, she removed herself from the water and pulled her clothes on without caring that she was soaking wet. It would've been easier to phase and return home, but she couldn't make herself do it. Looking up at the moon that hung high in the sky, she realized just how late it was. Jacob and Seth had probably started to look for her; it wouldn't be long before they found her.

With bare feet, she walked slowly through the forest with her arms wrapped tightly around herself. More tears slipped down her cheeks and she desperately tried to control herself, but all her attempted turned out to be futile. A crack of thunder startled her and she groaned gently when soft droplets of rain began to pour down on her. It seemed convenient, though, that it would start to rain when she felt so miserable.

Leah had come to terms with the fact that Sam had chosen Emily over her, which had been accepted a long time ago. What she held onto more was that fact that she may have to spend the rest of her life alone. It didn't seem that she would ever imprint and if she didn't imprint, she'd never be able to wipe her feeling for Sam away. The betrayal would always be fresh in her mind and heart, it would cause her to sabotage any form of relationship she'd ever have. It seemed that no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't get past it. It hurt, very deeply.

After nearly two hours of walking, she collapsed in exhaustion with her legs burning from overuse. Leaning against a large tree, she closed her eyes and sighed gently at the feel of raindrops on her face. Maybe if she slept she would feel better. At this point, she welcomed any form of escape.

Just as she was about to drift off to sleep, a frantic howl ripped through the air and she sat up quickly. She recognized the howl as Seth's and sighed deeply before pulling herself to her feet once more, wincing at the fire in her legs. She could hear two sets of paws thudding against the ground and knew that Seth and Jacob were coming for her.

Sure enough, they reached her in no time. Seth burst through the trees first with Jacob just behind him, both moving over to her quickly. Seth whined and nudged her while stamping his paws on the ground, the concern clearly in his eyes. With a disgusted groan, Leah pushed Seth's muzzle away from her and supported herself against the tree she had just been resting on. Jacob approached her and nudged her gently before turning slightly, looking back at her. With a sigh, Leah grabbed onto his fur and hoisted herself up onto his back. She laid against his wet fur, burying her face in it and holding onto him as he took off into a sprint.

Wind and rain whipped at her back as Jacob ran with Seth beside him, her fingers tangled in Jacob's fur as she held on. It didn't take long for sleep to overcome her and with a soundless yawn, she drifted off into a much needed rest.

When she awoke, she was laying on the couch in the Cullen's living room. Keeping her eyes closed, she stayed still and just listened to what was going around her. A ball game appeared to be on the television, by the sound of his whooping, she could tell that Seth was very close to her. She heard Jacob and Renesmee talking in a hushed tone to her left with Bella and Edward talking somewhere to her right. By the smell, Rosalie and Emmett weren't very far and by the muted voices, Alice and Jasper were on the second floor of the house.

A soft sigh escaped her and she rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling. Immediately, Seth and Jacob were beside her with Renesmee peering over the back of the couch down at her face. "Leah!" Seth called out with a bright smile on his lips and her hand held in both of his, Jacob's worried eyes searching her face. "You've been out for an entire day," her brother said as he gave her hand a squeeze. "How are you feeling?"

A frown formed on her lips, her brows furrowing. "Suffocated," she murmured as she pulled her hand from his and pushed herself into a sitting position.

"It's good to see you upright, Leah," Bella murmured with a smile as she stood by the window, Edward at her side. "We were all very worried about you."

Alice and Jasper had descended the stairs after hearing that she had awoken, stalling on the bottom step and looking in her direction. They were joined by Esme and Carlisle who had emerged from the kitchen to stand by their adoptive children. As she looked around the room, she saw Emmett sitting in a large armchair with Rosalie seated on the arm. She also noticed that Emmett's hand was placed on the pretty, blonde's hip and she had her arm wrapped around his shoulders. Upon more observation, she noticed that all the couples were paired up beside eachother. Even Seth's imprintee, Alexis, was there beside him and giving her a worried look. It brought all the memories back to her and she fought to keep her eyes from tearing up.

Edward must've read her thoughts because he approached her with a sympathetic look on his face, placing both of his hands on the back of the couch as he stood beside his daughter. "Are you well?" he asked in a soft tone, Bella being the next to approach the couch.

"I'm just peachy keen, okay?" Leah snapped and swung her legs from the couch before getting up to her feet.

"Maybe you should rest a bit longer?" Carlisle spoke up this time, his voice filled with worry. "Get a little more sleep."

Leah glared at the male. "I have accelerated healing, remember?" she snapped while bending her legs at the knee to stretch them. "I've rested plenty," she added while massaging the kinks that had formed in her neck. Nodding her head at them, she made her way to the door before a large hand grabbed her upper arm and pulled her back. Turning around, she pulled her arm from Jacob's grip and put her weight on one foot while crossing her arms over her chest. "What?" she asked in a harsh tone, her eyes narrowing at him.

He sighed. "You going to talk to us about this?"

Silence was her answer.

Seth spoke this time. "Leah, we heard what was going on in your head," he said as he approached his older sister with a frown. "Talk to us, please."

He used the voice that made Leah cave every time and she sighed while letting her arms drop to her sides. "There's nothing to talk about," she said while mustering up a smile and looking at him. "I needed to be alone and now I'm fine," she added, ignoring the soft scoff that Edward gave. "It's nothing to concern yourself with, okay?"

No one seemed to buy it but really the only ones concerned were her brother, Jacob, Nessie, and Bella. The others didn't know her well enough to care and she had never given them much reason to, her attitude seemed to annoy them a bit. But they let up and she turned back around, making her way to the door. Stalling when she gripped the doorknob, she sighed and turned back towards the vampires.

"Thanks," she mumbled before exiting the house and retreating into the forest, no intention of phasing anywhere near the house. Before she could get too far, she heard the sound of her name being called and stopped so that her brother could catch up with her. Once he had caught up with her, she noticed the frown that was on his lips and gave a gentle sigh. They were still in the vicinity of the Cullen house where she could be heard clearly, not something that she found desirable. "Walk with me," she murmured and pushed herself deeper into the forest, Seth following quietly beside her.

When they were farther away, she stopped and perched herself on an overgrown tree root that stuck up high above the ground. Seth seated himself beside her and kicked his legs back and forth gently while waiting for her to speak.

"I don't know what you want me to say," she murmured while looking down at her hands, staring at her nails.

Seth turned to her and frowned deeply. "Everything, anything, tell me what you're feeling."

A bitter smile formed on her lips. "What I'm feeling?" she murmured with a humorless laugh. "That's what you want to know?" Biting onto her bottom lip, she shook her head slightly and lifted her eyes to gaze at the canopy of the trees. "Miserable, alone, forgotten, pissed, jealous, hurt," she began before turning to look at Seth, "shall I go on?"

He pursed his lips. "But why?"

Angrily, Leah pushed herself off of the root and rounded on her brother. "Why?!" she cried out, throwing her arms in the air. "You know exactly why!"

"Because you're alone?" he asked incredulously. "Are you serious, Leah? You aren't always going to be alone."

She rolled her eyes. "And you're so sure of that because?" she questioned, turning away from him and crossing her arms over her chest. "I'll never get over Sam, I loved him way to much and now I'm bitter," she said, her gaze lowering to the ground. "No one will ever want someone as damaged as I am."

Seth sighed. "Leah, there's someone out there for everyone," he said gently, slipping to the ground. "You're a great person, why can't you see that?"

Her bottom lip trembled pitifully and she pursed her lips to stop it, lifting her eyes to meet his. "Because I'm not," she whispered softly, her hands balling up into fists. "I'm an angry, jealous, and vengeful bitch, you can't deny it."

Seth looked uneasy. "You have your moments just like we all do, but you can be funny and sweet and kind."

She had to admit, he was trying his hardest to make her feel better. But Leah was feeling way to bitter and drowning in too much self-pity to give her baby brother any slack. "Don't you see, Seth!" she hollered with narrowed eyes. "No one will ever want someone like me," she said and turned away from him. "I can't have children, I'm too absorbed in my own loneliness, and I'll never be able to imprint on anyone," she said before her voice dropped, "I'm pathetic."

It seemed that Seth was getting fed up with her self-loathing and did something she never thought he would. He blew up at her. "You know what, Leah?" he asked in an angry tone, his eyes narrowed and darkened. "Maybe you will be alone forever, but that's your own doing," he said while grabbing her arm and turning her to face him. "As long as you stay like this, hating yourself and pushing everyone away, you will be alone," he said before delivering the final blow, "and if you keep it up, maybe you deserve to."

He must have realized what his words did to her because he sighed and pulled her into his embrace. "I can't help you anymore, sis, you have to realize this on your own," he said before pulling away. "You need to stop beating yourself up, you need to appreciate yourself and then you'll see."

Leah watched as he walked away from her.

"I'm done, be miserable if you want," he called over his shoulder before disappearing into the woods, probably returning to the Cullen house.

When she could no longer see him, her eyes prickled with tears at the truth of her brother's words no matter how harsh they had been. She was just hurting herself, but she didn't seem to know how to stop. Sure, she was broken and she beat herself up way to much, but she couldn't help it. She was around all those couples and so much love, she wanted to feel that too. She wanted to be happy like they were and she was envious of them, she was so jealous. Why couldn't she be happy too? Was that so forbidden? Was that too much to ask for?

Discarding her clothes, she tied them to her leg and phased before breaking off into a desperate sprint. She didn't care where she went just as long as she got away from where she was. But no matter how far she ran, there was no escaping the undeniable truth that Seth had presented to her. She was destroying herself bit by bit, they way she was thinking and the self pity that she was putting herself through. Every bit of it was causing her more and more pain, but it was no one's fault but her own.

She was no longer thinking about where she was going, just that wherever it was felt completely right. Some unseen force seemed to be directing her path, but she went along with it. She couldn't will herself to fight it, but she didn't want to either. Wherever she was headed gave her a warm, fuzzy feeling that overpowered every bit of self-loathing that she had been having.

Suddenly, she was overpowered by a familiar, sugary sweet smell that nearly bowled her over. It was mingled with that of fresh blood and she suddenly felt very wary, her paws pushed her on. She burst through a group of trees until she found herself in a clearing and staring down at crouched figure with its teeth buried into the neck of a large stag. Everything about the being radiated danger but she couldn't make herself move she could only stand there and stare at the figure.

If the being recognized her presence, it didn't show any knowledge. Gently pushing the stag to the side, it rose to its feet and wiped its mouth before turning to look over at Leah. Smoldering, honey-colored eyes bore into her as thin fingers pushed through a mop of black curls. The male stood tall, much taller then anyone she had seen before, with long legs and broads shoulders. He had a lean form and was fitted in black slacks with a crisp, white t-shirt. It was buttoned except for the two top buttons and the sleeves where bundled at his elbows. Dress shoes covered his feet and he kept a lazy stance as her eyes trailed over him.

Her roaming eyes stopped when the made their way back to his beautifully sculpted face. He had an oval-shaped face with a strong jaw and full lips, his skin slightly darken then that of a normal vampire. He was breathtakingly beautiful as he stood in the skin, his olive skin shimmering in the sunlight. But as her eyes met his once more, she was filled with an intense passion that she had never known before.

As she looked him in the eye, everything vanished. All the pain and turmoil she had been feeling, the hurt from Seth's words, the loneliness and jealousy vanished. She felt as if her whole body was floating in some euphoric ocean, the only two people in the world were her and this man. This _vampire_. Everything seemed to make sense now like she had just had some sort of epiphany. Taking a few steps closer to the male who was gazing at her probably the way she appeared to be gazing at him, she stalled. A sound a wonderful as hearing your mother's voice for the very first time entered her ears.

A woman who rivaled Aphrodite herself appeared beside the male, her hands holding onto his arm. The white of her skin contrasted greatly against the olive tone of his, her beautiful golden orbs watched Lean warily. Waves of auburn silk fell down her back and rested against the green silk of her blouse. "Ishmael," she said in the same wonderful voice, her eyes never leaving Leah's bulky form.

As the man named Ishmael's arm encircled the beautiful woman's waist, Leah realized something with heartbreaking horror. The man that she had just imprinted on was not only a vampire but was most definitely involved with the beauty beside him.

Just when she had felt so wonderfully complete, so perfectly serene, it was ripped right from beneath her. She had finally found her soul mate, her other half, the one who completed here to a tee. Not only was he a vampire, her sworn enemy, he was never going to belong to her.

With a pathetic whine, she pivoted and sprinted into the forest with an intense difficulty. With each step she took, she could feel her heart breaking even more. By the time she was entering back onto the Cullen territory, she had cried herself dry and had caused herself even more damage then before. As she curled into a ball beneath a large tree, she buried her muzzle beneath her paws and closed her eyes tightly.

_I really will be alone forever._

* * *

That's chapter one, let me know what you think!

Twisted.


	2. Chapter Two

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anyone from the Twilight series. However, Ishmael and Giselle are of my own creation. Please ask before using them, thank you.

This story came up while I was listening to **The Mortician's Daughter** by **Black Veil Brides**. It's an amazing song, you should check it out. Oh, please review! Thank you.

To my reviewers:

**Scorpiosue1102: **Thank you for the interest and I hope the you keep reading. Ever since Leah came along, she became a quick favorite of mine and I wanted to see her happy. Then this came along, so, I hope you continue to enjoy this.

**sailor alpha tomboy: **Here's that update you wanted.

The Mortician's Daughter

Chapter Two

* * *

Morning had come and Leah awoke, but she wasn't under the tree she had fallen asleep beside the night before. Instead, she was resting outside the Cullen house near the edge of the forest. As she looked around, she saw that the members of the Cullen family were all outside. Jacob and Renesmee were chatting on the porch with Bella, Alice, and Edward. Carlisle and Esme were standing off to the side of the house, talking in hushed tones with smiles on their beautiful faces. Jasper and Emmett where wrestling in front of the house with Seth and Alexis watching intently, their faces full of wonder.

Had last night been a dream? Had she imagined the perfect man that she imprinted on? She couldn't have, the tugging on her heart was still there. She still felt the pain of seeing him with that beautiful woman who had called his name so tenderly. It wasn't a dream, she had imprinted the night before and she had seen him with that his mate. Her heart had broken again, but she found herself wanting to seek him out. She wanted to gaze upon his beautiful face once more, she wanted to reach out and touch him or hold him.

Rising, she retreated into the forest and phased into her human form before dressing herself quickly. Once she was fully clothed, she returned to the house and made her way to Seth and Alexis. Her brother met her gaze with an apologetic smile that she returned with a nod of her head. He went back to watching Emmett and Jasper wrestle as she ascended the porch steps and stopped beside the others.

Jacob lifted his eyes to her face and immediately rose to his feet at how broken she looked. "Leah, what happened?" he questioned, causing the others to turn and look at her as well. "What's wrong?"

Biting her bottom lip, she looked away for a moment before looking at him again. "Last night… I, well, I strayed past the boundary lines," she began, catching the attention of Seth and Alexis. "I saw someone, a vampire," she spoke; suddenly everyone stopped and focused their attention on her. "And I imprinted on him."

Seth hopped to his feet. "That's wonderful, Leah!" he exclaimed in excitement. "See, I told you last night that everyth–"

"Seth!" Jacob shouted, shutting him up instantly. "Go ahead and finish, Leah."

Leah felt the tears prickle at her eyes as she looked away and tried to be strong. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes tightly before lifting them to meet Jacob's intense gaze. "But he already had a mate," she breathed out, looking even more devastated then before.

Jacob's shoulders tensed and he shook his head. "Leah, you imprinted on him, that means that he feels the same pull you do," he said and his jaw tightened. "That means he can't ignore what he's feeling either, he knew it the moment he saw you."

But the black-haired girl shook her head, pursed her lips and turned away from her leader. Dropping to the porch, she sat cross-legged with her hands gripping ankle and her eyes trained on the grass. A sigh passed through Seth's lips before he approached her, kneeling in front of her and giving her a comforting smile. "What is it now, Seth?" she murmured, trying to be gruff but it came out a little more defeated then she would've liked. She had changed so much, she didn't even feel like the same girl anymore.

"It'll get better, I promise," he murmured before she shoved his hands away and quickly got to her feet.

Everyone seemed to be on their guard as they felt it too, but Leah was consumed with a giddy joy and a bitter sadness at the same time. Her face lit up like Christmas morning when he stepped through the trees only to crumble once more when she saw the beauty beside him. They stopped at the edge of the forest, the girl holding on to his arm like she had been before. But Leah noticed that the male's, Ishmael, eyes were trained onto her face. Once their eyes met, she felt a current of electricity run through her being and sighed in content.

Carlisle and Esme appeared from the side of the house, Esme joined the others on the porch while Carlisle approached the two nomads. "Hello," he greeted with a pleasant smile on his face, the wariness was evident beneath it. "Is there something that my family and I can do for you?"

Ishmael turned his gaze to Carlisle, seeming reluctant to look away from Leah. "I am Ishmael and this is Giselle," he spoke with a heavy accent, one of the most beautiful sounds that Leah had ever heard. The sound of his voice nearly caused her legs to buckle and she had to back up and lean against the wall of the house for support. "We were travelling when we came across the scent of others of our kind," he said while nodding his head in groups direction. "I was so intrigued that I had to seek you out."

Carlisle's worry didn't disappear but he nodded and motioned for them to follow after him. "We are a peaceful family here and we don't want trouble," he spoke as he came closer to the porch.

A ghost of a smile fell into place on Ishmael's lips, his eyes on Carlisle's back. "I assure you, we mean no harm," he said as they stopped infront of the porch, watching Carlisle join Esme. "You're family is lovely," he said, his eyes straying on the werewolves faces before stopping on Leah's. "Have we met before?"

Jacob seemed a bit smug as he looked over at Leah, but the girl was too focused with gazing at Ishmael intently. An internal debate was going on inside her head, she didn't know whether to tell him that they had met before or not. Shaking her head slightly, Leah mentally berated herself for acting so foolish in front of the male. He was her imprintee, there was no reason for her to act like such a schoolgirl. "No, I don't believe we have," she said while forcing herself to keep his intense gaze, seeing Giselle look at her curiously. It was then that she remembered Giselle was his mate, an intense jealous feeling took over her.

Her reply seemed to have displeased him. "My mistake then," he murmured before turning back towards Carlisle and Esme, a friendly smile on his lips. "We've travelled a long ways without finding any of our kind," he began as Giselle took his hand in hers, "it's nice to be in the company of those we can relate to."

Esme smiled kindly. "Well, we have a large home and don't mind sheltering you for a short while," she replied while looking over at Carlisle. "Our only request is that you maintain our diet."

"Diet?" Giselle inquired curiously, her eyebrows raising.

Carlisle nodded his head. "We feed only on animals," he said, a frown taking hold of his lips. "If you cannot commit to this then you cannot stay."

Ishmael nodded his head. "That is not a problem, my friend."

---

It was quite some time later and Leah was curled in a ball, huddled beneath a large oak tree with her muzzle underneath her paws. She had retreated from the Cullen home shortly after they had accepted the nomads in, needing space to think. She wasn't too far away, it would only take her ten or twenty minutes to get back if she was needed. But the close proximity with her imprintee was too much, only slightly more unbearable then being away from him.

It was amazing how she felt so strongly for him when they had only exchanged a sentence. But she yearned for him, to hear his voice and see his beautiful face. She wanted to be close to him right now, she wanted to know how his fingers felt as they ran through her hair. She wanted know what it felt like to be wrapped in his arms. Most of all, she just wanted to have with him what Giselle had.

Her heart yearned for him, called to him even. If by some chance that he could hear her, she wished he would answer. Hell, she wished he would just come to her. All she wanted now was some form of comfort. From the stories she had heard, when you imprinted, all the pain and love you used to feel was supposed to go away. Her love for Sam was gone as far as she knew, but all the pain and betrayal she had felt before was still there so strongly. It seemed that because what she felt for her imprintee wasn't returned, she'd hold onto this pain even stronger.

But she was sick of crying, she didn't want to hurt anymore. All she wanted now was her imprintee, _her_ Ishmael. He was very much Giselle's, but she needed him so much more. What she wouldn't give to be the pretty brunette that was by his side, be in her shoes for just a moment.

She had always thought that the one you imprinted on was supposed to feel the same emotional attachment that you did. Apparently, she had been very wrong but that wouldn't have been the first time. She had been wrong about plenty of things before. She had been wrong about who she was going to spend the rest of her life with, about the fact that Emily would've never betrayed her, about how amazing being a werewolf would be, about being able to pass on the werewolf gene. Obviously, she would be wrong about plenty more things to come.

Of course, the miserable town of Forks had to make her mood worse and she sighed as rain began to fall again. Maybe she should've checked the forecast before she decided to wallow in self-pity the next time? Her pitiful sense of humor did nothing but depress her even more, a soft whine escaping her.

She jerked up when a familiar sugary, sweet smell reached her nostrils. Jumping to her paws, she was about to make a run for it when he pushed through the trees and stopped instantly. Ishmael gazed at her with an intense gaze, his body completely unmoving as he watched her. She felt frozen in time as she gazed at him, nothing else seemed to be going on around her as she stared into his honey-colored orbs.

He was the first to speak. "So, we have met then," he murmured as he moved closer to her. "Is it possible for you to return to your human self?"

Nodding slowly, she trotted off out of his view before phasing back and dressing herself in the soggy clothes that had been tied to her ankle. She returned to find that he wasn't anywhere around, until she heard a voice from above her. Looking up, she saw him perched on one of the branches of the large tree above her. Easily, she climbed up to the branch opposite him and nestled herself comfortably on it.

"I figured you were the wolf the moment I laid eyes on you," he said gently, his leg bending at the knee as his foot rested on the crook of the branch and a smaller one. "I felt it."

That sent her heart into overdrive and she avoided his gaze, staring at the forest floor beneath them. "Did you?" she murmured in what she hoped was a steady tone, picking at the bark beneath her leg.

"I did," he replied, amusement in his tone. "The farther you went, the stronger a tug I felt," he said before adding in a voice only slightly above a whisper, "I felt a loneliness as you left."

Her head snapped up, her damp hair sticking to her face as she looked at him with wide eyes. "What do you mean?" she questioned in a tentative voice, her teeth easily finding her bottom lip and biting into it.

A smile formed on his lips as he turned to look at her, droplets of water dripping from his curls. "I felt this inexplicable emptiness as you left," he said, turning to her, "but this intense joy when I saw you on the porch today."

Her heart had begun pounding wildly in her chest again. "You… you did?"

A nod. "I did."

She was quiet for a moment, staring into his eyes for what seemed like an eternity. Even though she had seen him before, his beauty astounded her once more. Water clung to his curls, some were plastered to the side of his angelic face. His olive skin seemed so inviting to the touch and she resisted the urge to run her fingers against it. But he was a complete enigma, she wished she could know what was going on inside the head of his. He seemed to be so deep in thought, she wondered if those thoughts were about her. She wondered if she caused him the same inner turmoil that he caused her.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked, startled by the sound of her own voice.

A smile caressed his lips as he lifted his gaze to her face. "You," he murmured and her heart fluttered again, she bit her lip. "I don't understand how you make me feel this way."

Guilt chewed at her. "It's not natural," she murmured, causing him to furrow his eyebrows in confusion. "It's not real."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

With a sigh, she closed her eyes and leaned against the tree. "With my… species, there's a process called imprinting," she murmured while letting her chocolate-colored eyes open again. "It's where you have this bond with someone… your soulmate, you could call them. The bond makes you want to do anything for this person, make them happy in any way that you can, never want to be away from them. You love them without even needing to think about it. Whether you love them as a friend, sibling, or a… lover is a different story altogether. You become exactly what they need."

He seemed thoughtful for a moment. "And the one you imprint on?"

"They feel it too, the overwhelming intoxication of it," she murmured. "It's slightly less then the werewolf, but it's there."

"So, you've imprinted on me?" he inquired in a soft voice.

A nod her head was his answer. "So, you see, it's not real," she murmured, "these feelings you have for me."

He smiled warmly and she felt heat rise to her cheeks. "But you're wrong," he said gently as he lifted her chin, causing her to look into his eyes. "'Soulmates' you said, right?" he asked and she nodded her head gently, causing him to smile at her. "Then, the feelings are real, Leah," he said, her name rolling off of his tongue and sending shivers down her spine. At the moment, she was too drunk on his presence to even care how he had learned her name. "My feelings for you, as sudden as they may be, are real and so are yours," he murmured, his hand cupping her cheek.

The coolness of his touch caused her to shiver and she bit onto her bottom lip, her eyelids fluttering closed. "Mmm," was her unintelligible reply as she leaned into his touch before sighing gently in content.

Effortlessly, he pulled her from the branch she had been sitting on into his lap and wrapped his arms around her frame protectively. She gasped, her hands resting on the hardened marble of his chest as he pulled her closer to him. She could feel his sweet breath on her face, smell the intoxicating, earthy smell that was all his own. In this close proximity, she could feel every muscle beneath his clothing and the coldness of his skin against her heated flesh. She shivered as his hand moved down her side and over her hip, resting on her thigh. His other hand was on the small of her back and she gasped lightly as he pulled her as close as he could. Being pressed flush against his chest had her body temperature rising considerably and her heart racing at the speed of light.

A chuckle passed through his lips as he looked down at her, his face barely inches away. "Be still your beating heart," he murmured, quoting Shakespeare and bringing an amused smile to her lips as she looked up at him through her thick lashes. "I won't hurt you, Leah," he murmured, his breath cold against her warm cheek. "I can't imagine ever doing so."

She bit her lip before he gently tugged it loose with his index finger, returning his hand to the crook between her knee and thigh. In one euphoric moment, his lips had pressed against hers with the gentlest of kisses, his hand holding her steady against him. A tiny whimper escaped her when he pulled away, her fingers clutching to the fabric of his shirt, only to be replaced with breathless mewls as he kissed along her neck.

For a moment, all she could think about was the sensation of his cold lips as they pressed along her skin. But she was struck with a thought, he was that close to her carotid artery yet he was controlling his thirst very easily. "How are yo–oh!–able t-to do that without–" she sighed, "– biting m-me?" she managed to murmur, causing him to pull his lips from her neck.

A gorgeous smile took hold of his lips. "Centuries of practice," he murmured before kissing along her jaw, his eyes trained on the blissful expression her face held.

"W-Wait," she murmured and pulled away from his lips, looking down at him with a frown. "Giselle."

It seemed that was all it took to ruin the mood and his face took on an expression of guilt as he looked away. Leah instantly felt bad that she had said anything at all, hating to see that look marring his perfect face. She nearly burst into tears at the heart wrenching look on his face, the pursing of his lips and slight tightening of his grip.

Then he sighed and lifted his gaze to her face. "I'm being terribly unfair, aren't I?" he asked, guilt evident in his eyes. "I can't have you both yet I can't make myself choose between the two of you," he said as he caressed her cheek with the pad of his thumb. "You should hate me."

A sudden feeling of déjà vu hit her, she suddenly understand how Jacob felt when Bella had chosen Edward. When she had been so conflicted with her love for both of them, but Leah was struck with another question. Would she be playing the part of Edward or Jacob? It seemed like cruel irony that Fate would play this joke on her. It would be completely unfair to be the werewolf _and_ take on Jacob's role in the twisted love story that had just been weaved. She could only hope she walked out of this as Edward, having won instead of lost. Because after this, there would be no one else she could be with. No one would even come close to the connection that she felt with Ishmael right now. He was right, she should hate him. But she'd never be able to.

"I can't hate you," she murmured, her hands sliding up along his chest and neck to cradle his face. "I can never hate you."

His eyes filled with agony. "And that's what is going to make this so much harder to do."

Biting her bottom lip, she let him move her back onto the branch she had been occupying just minutes before. She knew where he was going, he knew that she knew. Back to Giselle, back to where he belonged. A part of Leah died inside as she watched him prepare to jump to the ground, his eyes lifting to meet her gaze. Lifting himself easily, he pressed his lips to hers in a soft caress, lingering slightly longer then he should have.

Then he was gone. The part of her that had died was suddenly joined by the rest of her and this time she didn't even try to hold back the tears, she let them erupt from her being. Ishmael looked back only once before he disappeared into the forest and raced towards the Cullen house.

That night, Ishmael returned to Giselle and lay wrapped in her arms, tortured by thoughts of Leah's anguished cries. Pretending that he was wrapped in her arms, inhaling her rustic scent, instead of beside the porcelain beauty that was his mate. He was ridden with anguish because he had promised that he would never hurt Leah, yet he had done so without a thought. But he hurt because he was also betraying Giselle, it was obvious that she knew exactly what had transpired between him and Leah. But she never wanted to lose him, so she held on tight and wasn't prepared to ever let go.

* * *

Well, chapter two is up and in the same day. Man, I'm feeling pretty inspired, tell me what you think. I also appreciate suggestions if you have any. Due credit is always given.

Twisted.


	3. Chapter Three

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anyone from the Twilight series. However, Ishmael and Giselle are of my own creation. Please ask before using them, thank you.

This story came up while I was listening to **The Mortician's Daughter** by **Black Veil Brides**. It's an amazing song, you should check it out. Oh, please review! Thank you.

To my reviewers:

**dazzled by emmett: **You'll have to keep reading to see if she gets that happy ever after.

The Mortician's Daughter

Chapter Three

* * *

It had been two weeks, two long and miserable weeks. She hadn't returned back to the Cullen house since the last night she had seen Ishmael. Of course, she had kept in contact with Jacob and Seth who visited her regularly. They relayed information on what went on at the Cullen house, not that it particularly interested her in any way. But it was nice to feel like she was still in the loop, like she was still there. But she couldn't go back yet, she just couldn't face Ishmael when Giselle was there. Her heart yearned for him and she vaguely wondered if he yearned for her too.

She was positive that Jacob had told him about the boundary lines and seeing as she was home with her mother, she knew that Jacob wouldn't let Ishmael seek her out. But she wished so desperately that he would, just to validate that he cared for her in any way. Never before had she been this miserable, this distraught. She missed him terribly, she wanted to see his face and hear his voice. His breathtaking smile and his tender kisses were in her dreams regularly, the feel of his cool hands on her skin. She missed everything about him. All the others seemed to notice the change in her, but they didn't bother her about it. They were probably happy that she wasn't bothering them with her girl problems anymore.

Curled up in a ball on her bed, she bit into her bottom lip and wrapped her arms around her pillow tightly. She wished so desperately that the pillow could have been Ishmael instead, that she could be holding him in her arms. "Ishmael," she whispered softly before pressing her lips together and closing her eyes tightly, picturing his perfect face.

Slowly, she opened her eyes only to gasp and push herself back against the wall when she saw two honey-colored orbs peering at her through half-lidded eyes. "Ishmael!" she exclaimed as she sat up, staring at him wide-eyed and open-mouthed. "What are you doing here?!"

He seemed confused by her question. "Don't you want me here?" he murmured gently, reaching out for her. "I haven't seen you in so long, I missed you."

Throwing herself into his arms, she buried her face into chest and shut her eyes tightly. "You idiot!" she whispered before looking up at him with concerned eyes. "Did Jacob tell you nothing about the boundary lines?"

He nodded. "He mentioned something about it."

"And?" she questioned. "Are you hard of hearing or something?"

"I have fed on nothing but animals, Leah," he said and smiled. "I thought the others attacked only if there was a threat posed."

Leah sighed. "You have to go back, they attack when they feel a threat, yes," she confirmed as she looked up at him. "But they feel a threat from _everything_."

Ishmael was displeased, she could see it in his eyes. He didn't want to be forced out and he seemed stubborn enough to stay even though she had told him to leave.

But she wanted to save his life desperately. "Shouldn't you be with Giselle anyway?" she spat, saying the woman's name like it was some kind of disease. Ishmael stiffened in her arms before disentangling himself from her and glaring down at her. Yep, that was what she had been aiming for. "You really shouldn't keep her waiting, you know," she said, adding fuel to the fire. "I'm sure she hates being without you for too long, especially when you come back smelling like me."

That one had stung, she could see the hurt on his face. "Leah…" he said gently before making his way to her window and stopping, looking over his shoulder at her. "Leah, I…"

"Just go," she replied before watching him spring from her window and hearing him dash in the direction of the Cullen home. She couldn't believe she had just done that after he had come all the way to see her, putting himself in such danger. He came like she had wanted him to, he had wanted to see her just as badly. But what did she do? She pushed him away, forced him to leave with hurtful words. But if she hadn't then Sam would have been beating down her door in search of the "threat" to their families. No, she had done the right thing, she was protecting him. That was necessary to protect him.

But no matter how many times she told herself that, the pang of guilt wouldn't go away.

---

She was racing through the forest at top speed, she had to speak to Jacob and soon. Sam had paid her a visit not even an hour after Ishmael had left, Collin and Paul with him when he came. It seemed that they had scented Ishmael in the area long ago but passed it off as a drifter until he had dared to step foot on the territory. Usually, they would've caught him in the forest but they were curious to see what he would do.

Imagine their surprise when they found out that Ishmael was looking for Leah. Yeah, that conversation had went over very smoothly.

_Leah had curled back into a ball, her knees up to her chest as she clutched onto the pillow tightly. He had been gone for what seemed like an eternity and she felt the emptiness settle in her once again. She missed him when he was gone, when she couldn't be near him for any length of time. But he was gone and maybe for good this time. But she had never seen anyone live without their imprintee for any length of time. Would she?_

_It scared her to think of being without him. In the short time she had known him, anything before seemed like ages ago. Never did she want to be without him, but it just didn't seem likely that they would ever be able to work out. Her heart ached painfully, yearning for the one that she may never see again._

_But she was distracted momentarily but the sound of the door below her opening, the sound of voices. A distinct voice caught her attention and she gasped when she recognized it, her eyes snapping open as she pushed herself up. Sam!_

_Footsteps thudding on the stairs, there were more then just Sam. Her door opened and she looked over to see Sam, Paul just behind him, and Collin entering after the two. Sam gave her the hardest glare he could muster as the door closed behind him and he took a few steps closer to her._

"_What were you thinking, Leah?" he asked, his tone gruff and his fists clenched. "Why was there some nomad on our land and visiting you?"_

"_Sam, I–" she began, ready to deny it all, but was cut off by him._

"_Don't even try to lie to me, Leah," he growled out. "The bloodsucker's smell is all over this room and you."_

_Biting her bottom lip, she sighed and let her eyes slip closed. "Fine, okay, yes, he was here," she said and glared up at Sam, her eyes narrowed dangerously. "But he's not a threat, he feeds on animals like the Cullen's," she said and rose to her feet, "he's with them and has been for quite some time."_

_As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized the mistake she had made. How could she have been so stupid? She had just given away his hideout, had just told Sam exactly how to find him. Sam seemed to notice the mistake she made and a small smile formed on his lips as he watched her fidget._

"_With the Cullen's, eh?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest._

_Leah shook her head. "Sam, please, he's no threat, I swear to you."_

"_Since when have you been so dead set on protecting one of them?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and frowning._

_With a sigh, she bit her lip before looking up at him again. "I… I imprinted on him, okay," she forced out, seeing the mixture of emotions cross his features._

_Sam laughed. "So, the Beta takes after the Alpha, it would seem."_

"_Please just leave him alone," she begged. "He's no threat, I swear to you."_

_Suddenly, Jared threw the door open and stared at everyone with wild eyes. "Murder, in our territory!" he called out, his hands gripping the doorframe. "It was a vampire attack."_

_Sam turned to Leah with a smug smile. "Looks like we've just found a reason to suspect danger."_

"_No," Leah gasped, shaking her head. It couldn't have been true, Ishmael would have never done anything like that. Not her beloved and precious Ishmael, but she had angered him. Would he really have vented his anger with the blood of an innocent? Could she really know? As the others rushed out of her room, one thought ran through her mind. She had to find Ishmael and find out the truth, she had to know if he really had killed someone._

_Without hesitation, she jumped through her window and landed on the ground easily. Breaking off into a sprint, she waited until she was covered by the forest to phase. She didn't bother to remove her clothes, the ripping of the fabric hardly concerned her at this moment. Her paws thudded on the ground as she ran, panic ripping through her entire being._

The confrontation had left her visibly shaken and it appeared that neither Jacob nor Seth were in their wolf forms. She couldn't contact them through their telepathic link and the others had already gotten a head start over her. The others in Sam's pack had probably already been sent to the Cullen's, she could only hope that Ishmael was safe with the vampires and not out on his own.

She didn't know what happened to you when you lost your imprintee but she was hardly concerned with her own life at this point. The only thing that matter to her was that Ishmael was safe and unharmed when she found him. A howl ripped through the air and she pushed herself faster, thanking her ancestors that Jacob was quickly approaching.

_Leah, Leah can you hear me?_ He called out into her mind.

_Yeah, Jake, I hear you_, she replied and pushed herself even harder. _We have some trouble, a lot of it, actually._

_What's going on?_ Seth chimed in. _What happened?_

_Ishmael came to me today and Sam scented him_, she said frantically as she neared them. _Then Jared came with news of an attack on a human in the area, saying it was made by a vampire. They think it was Ishmael, but it couldn't have been him!_

_Leah, calm down. _Jake's tone was authoritative. _We'll figure this out. Seth, go warn the others and stick close to them._

_On it._

_Leah, how far ahead do you think they are?_

_I don't know, Jake, miles maybe._

Fear gripped her as she ran as fast as she could, seeing Jacob nearing her. He skidded to a stop when she was just mere feet away before turning and quickly running in the opposite direction. She followed him with much difficulty, her mind was clouded only with thoughts of Ishmael and what would happen when he was found by Sam.

_Leah! He'll be fine!_

_I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm worried, I can't help it._

_I know how you feel, but nothing will happen to him. We'll keep him safe._

_I just… I can't believe that he would do something like that. It has to be a mistake, Ishmael is so gentle._

Jacob was silent for a moment, but she could see that he was thinking along the same lines as Sam. It angered her but he had a point. She didn't truly know Ishmael enough to say that he wouldn't feed on a human, he was a nomad. But when she had first met him, he had been feeding on an animal. He hunted with the Cullen's and had been able to resist temptation to bit her when he kissed her. There just couldn't be any way that he would have done that, it had to have been someone else. But as they raced through the forest, his smell was everywhere.

But she had hurt him, said hateful things. Maybe that had triggered something within him? Maybe to vent he went and fed on an innocent? But she didn't want to think of that possibility, it just hurt to much to even visualize Ishmael doing something like that.

The Cullen house was coming into view and she could already see everyone outside waiting for them. Skidding to a stop in front of Carlisle and Esme, she was frantic beside Jacob as she looked for Ishmael. A whine escaped her when she couldn't find him and she looked over at Carlisle with desperation in her eyes. Esme handed her some clothes that she took gently in her teeth before running back to the forest and phasing back. She struggled to dress herself before she ran back out to the group, seeing Jacob had run off to change as well.

"Where is he?" she asked, breathless.

Carlisle frowned. "He never came back when he left this morning."

"No!" she exclaimed before hurrying over to Alice. "Can you see him at all?"

The pixie-like girl shook her head and frowned deeply, sympathy in her eyes. "He's with a werewolf because I can't see him at all," she said and Leah gave a desperate growl as she turned to Jacob.

"We'll find him, Leah," he tried to assure her, but she could see the doubt written on his face. If he was anywhere near Sam's territory then there was a likely chance that she would lose him.

Her eyes swept over the group once more. "And Giselle?"

"She left with him, dear," Esme said, her voice soothing to the ears.

But Leah shook her head. "No, he came to see me this morning and she was no where around," she said, her eyes narrowing as she looked over at Jacob.

"What are you thinking?" he asked, his brows furrowed.

"I told you there's no way he'd kill a human, he has too much self-control," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "It had to be Giselle, I can't think of any other explanation."

Jacob sighed. "Leah, maybe he really did do it."

Seth jumped up. "No, Ishmael's a good guy."

Shaking his head, Jacob frowned. "You think everyone's a good person, Seth."

"He didn't do it!" Leah hollered. "It was that she-bitch!"

"Who didn't do what?"

Pivoting on her heel, she gasped when Ishmael came into view. It didn't even take thought for her to take off towards him and throw herself in his arms. Relief flooded through her when his arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer to him. "I thought they were going to kill you!" she sobbed into his shoulder, unable to make herself stop. Never in her life had she ever felt so much fear for one person, worried so much. "I'm so glad that you're okay," she whispered before he pried her off of him and held her at arm's length. The animosity in his eyes subdued her and she let her grip on his shirt loosen, her eyes widening gently.

"You know Giselle hates when I come back smelling like you," he murmured, throwing her own words back at her.

Jacob growled low in his throat. "Look here, ass–"

"Jake, stop," she said and held a hand up to him, keeping her eyes locked on Ishmael's face. "Ishmael, I'm sorry for what I said to you this morning," she murmured, stepping closer to him once more and wrapping her arms around his waist. She didn't want him angry with her, she didn't know if these feelings were because of the imprinting or because she really did love him just that easily. "I had to get you to leave before Sam caught you," she said and looked up at his face, "I wanted to protect you."

His frown didn't change but his gaze did soften as he lifted a hand to her face. "Thank you, but I'm very capable of taking care of myself," he murmured as she smiled at him. "You hadn't come to see me, I needed to hear your voice and make sure you were okay."

She bit her lip. "I was fine, just… thinking," she murmured and dropped her gaze to the exposed skin of his chest. "Trying to get my head on straight."

"Am I the cause for your troubled thoughts?" he asked and frowned when she nodded her head. "I never wanted to cause you any trouble, maybe it's best if I leave you in peace."

"No!" she exclaimed and tightened her grip on his waist. "No, y-you can't leave me, I-I… you just can't."

"Leah," Jacob said, urging her to get to the point.

She sighed gently before looking up at him. "D-Did you… did you hunt after you left me?"

Confusion marred his features as he looked down at her. "No, I haven't fed since the last time with Emmett and Jasper," he said, twirling strands of her hair around his finger. "Why?"

"Are you lying to me?" she whispered even though she already knew that he wasn't.

A smile formed on his lips and she felt her heartbeat quicken. "I could never lie to you," he murmured, taking hold of one of her hands and bringing it to his lips to kiss. "You should already know that."

And she did know it, he couldn't lie to her the same that she'd never be able to lie to him.

"Someone has fed in Sam's territory and the only scent they picked up was yours," she said as she let her fingertips brush against his cheek as he held her palm to his lips. "They believe they have reason to kill you, that you're a danger to those they protect."

His eyes darkened and narrowed, his hand slightly tightening its grip on hers. "Let them try," he murmured, his eyes locked on hers. "They can't part me from you."

Leah wanted to cry, but she refrained. "They're too strong, Ishmael, you can't do it alone," she said, "I'll fight to the death to protect you."

The moment the words left her lips, his mouth was on hers and he was cradling her against him gently. Nothing else seemed to matter then the feel of his lips on hers and his arms around her waist. She didn't care if the others were watching, that she had always prided herself on being the strong in front of others. This moment was perfect, it didn't even matter that he had a mate.

An ear-shattering scream broke through the air and Ishmael pulled away from her, his eyes wide. "Giselle," he murmured and looked down at Leah guiltily before dashing off into the forest after her. It depressed Leah that she still had to share him, that he hadn't chosen her. But then she realized that he was going off by himself, that this was probably some kind of trap.

"Ishmael!" she hollered before dashing after him, phasing into her wolf form with the others at her heels.

* * *

Whoo, chapter three. That was a doozy. Ha, tell me what you think.


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